Blending apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention is concerned with providing apparatus for blending product within a container ( 10 ) by charging the container with product, applying a lid (l 2 ) with an integral blending element ( 14 ) thereon. The product is blended by driving the blending element with an external drive ( 34 ) whilst the container is in an inverted position. The assembled and filled container is located in a holder ( 22 ) whilst in a generally upright position and the holder is moved to invert the container so that the lid is lowermost and the product is in contact with the blending element in which position the product is blended. Inversion may take place in a housing ( 23 ) in which the product may be heated to a blending temperature.

This application is the US national phase of international applicationPCT/GB2003/002799 filed 27 Jun. 2003 which designated the U.S. andclaims benefit of GB0215077.9, dated 28 Jun. 2002, the entire content ofwhich is hereby incorporated by reference.

This invention relates to blending apparatus and in particular, but notexclusively, to apparatus for blending food product within a container,to a container for such blending and to a method of operating theblending process.

It has been proposed to blend food product within a container whenpreparing, for example, milkshakes in which the blending elements arelocated within the container and are driven to cause the contents to beblended. Such apparatus is described in WO 99/21466.

A primary intention of such apparatus is to enable hygienic andefficient dispensing to take place and the container and associatedblending elements may be disposable after use.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus forblending and dispensing food product.

According to the invention, blending apparatus comprises a containerhaving an opening through which product to be blended is introduced intothe container, a lid to close the opening, a blending element mounted onthe lid and directed downwards into the container when the lid islocated thereon, drive means driveably engageable with the blendingelement to rotate the element and obtain a blending action on product inthe container, mounting means on which an assembly of container, lid andblending element is arranged to be located during blending, thecontainer being moveable between an upright receiving position, and anoperative position in which the assembly is inverted with the lidlowermost and the drive means is connectable to the blending element.

The mounting means may include a container holder into which thecontainer is inserted and the holder is rotatable between the receivingposition and the operative position. In the operative position thecontainer may be upright and inverted. In the receiving position thecontainer may be generally upright or inclined at an angle to thevertical with the lid directed upwardly.

Clamping means may be provided for holding the container in the holderduring movement between the receiving and operative positions.Alternatively, the container is located within a seating, which may betapered, which holds the container in place during inversion andoperation.

The mounting means may be located within a housing with access into thehousing through an opening. The drive means may be located in the baseof the housing for connection to the blending element when in theinverted operative position. The drive means may be moveable verticallyinto driving engagement with the blending means after the containerreaches an operative blending position.

The housing may also provide a microwave housing whereby product withinthe container may be heated by microwave radiation prior to, duringand/or after a blending operation.

The invention also provides a container assembly for the blendingapparatus comprising a nestable container base, a lid to seal an upperopening of the base, and a blending element mounted on the lid forrotation relative thereto and extending into the container whenassembled, the lid having an opening for receiving the blending elementrotatably therein, the blending element including a shaft towards oneend of which is carried blending blades and towards the other end ofwhich is connection means for effecting driving connection with drivemeans, the shaft extending through the opening in the lid in use, theassembly being inverted in use to blend product in the container in theinverted position by operation of the blending element.

Preferably, the lid is nestable with other lids.

Conveniently, the shaft of the blending element is a force fit into theopening in the lid and the shaft surface provides a bearing surface topermit rotation of the blending element relative to the lid. Inpractice, the shaft defines a shoulder which is a force fit through theopening and after entering the opening the shoulder preventsdisengagement of the blending element.

There is also provided a method of blending product within a containercomprising an assembly of container base, lid for sealing an upperopening of the base, and a blending element mounted for rotationrelative to the lid, in which the container base is filled through theupper opening, the blending element is united with the lid to berotatable relative thereto, the lid is placed over the upper opening ofthe base and is sealed thereto, the assembly containing the food productis located in a holder, the holder is rotated to invert the container sothat the lid is directed downwardly, and drive means is drivinglyconnected to the blending element and operated to blend product withinthe container.

The container may be sealed after filling by a diaphragm heat sealedover the upper opening giving a sterile seal. Preferably, the diaphragmis located over the lid and associated blending element. The seal isremoved before blending or the drive means is forced through the seal.

Usually the product within the container is at a cold temperature whenit is located in the holder. If required, the container with coldproduct is heated after location in the holder, conveniently bymicrowave means, to a temperature ready for blending.

The product may be filled at ambient cold temperature, or the productfilling temperature may be hot for transportation at ambienttemperature, or it may be transported chilled or frozen to a blendinglocation. If the product is in a frozen or chilled state at thedispensing location it may be heated prior to a blending operation. Anylater cooling of product is to the consumption temperature immediatelyprior to blending. Alternatively the product may be consumed warm orhot, and heating may be by microwave means.

Further features of the invention will appear from the followingdescription of an embodiment of an invention given by way of exampleonly and with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section through blending apparatus, inone position,

FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 in another position,

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2 in another position,

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding with FIGS. 1-3 in a further position,

FIG. 5 is a vertical section through a container for use in theapparatus,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an assembled lid and blending element ofthe container of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a further perspective view corresponding to FIG. 6, but fromthe opposite side,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the blending element from one side,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the blending element of FIG. 8 from theother side,

FIG. 10 is a cross-section through an adapter for locating the blendingapparatus in engagement with a drive,

FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-section through an alternative assembly inwhich the container and integral blending means can be heated andblended,

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of part of the assembly of FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 is another perspective view of the assembly,

FIGS. 14A, 14B and 14C show schematically in side view an inversionarrangement,

FIGS. 15A, 15B and 15C show an alternative inversion mechanism, and

FIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C show a container locking device

Referring to the drawings, a container 10, shown in more detail in FIGS.5-8, comprises a base part 11, which is of tapered shape, narrower atits closed end and having an opening at its other, wider end. The base11 is therefore nestable with other bases so that a plurality of suchbases occupy little space when nested together. The container 10 has alid 12 which is shaped to be located over the wider end of the base 11and has a circumferential lip 13 for this purpose which may snap overthe end of the container or be heat sealed thereto. Centrally of the lid12 is formed an opening of circular section arranged to admit a blendingelement 14 therethrough for rotation relative to the lid 12.Alternatively, the opening may be located off-centre providing a centrallocation for injecting product such as flavouring, carbon dioxide etc.into the container.

The blending element 14 comprises a shaft portion 16 which has oppositeends, on one of which is formed blending blades 17. In the illustratedarrangement such blending blades 17 extending radially outwardly, havingleading blending edges 18 and being angled at various angles to give aneffective blending action, but other blade arrangements may be used. Atthe other end of the shaft portion 16 is formed a shoulder 19.

Towards the opposite end of the blending element 16 is formed a shapedopening 20, arranged to receive drive means 34 whereby the blendingelement is rotatable about its axis.

The shaft 16 is stepped at 21 and has the shoulder 19 which sealinglyengages the walls of the opening in the lid 12 when assembled thereto.

Assembly of the blending means 14 to the lid 12 is by inserting theshaft 16 upwardly through the lid opening with the shoulder 19 engagingas a push-fit so that the blending element 14 is rotatably mounted onthe lid 12, the surfaces of the shaft portion 14 between the step 21 andshoulder 19 acting as bearing surfaces against the lid opening duringrotation.

In use, the container base 11, after de-nesting from other containerbases, is charged with product, usually on a filling line, the productusually being in liquid form and including the ingredients which aresubsequently to be blended. The blending element 14 is assembled withthe lid 12 by inserting the blending element as a push fit through theopening in the lid 12. Prior to this operation the lids 12 are de-nestedfrom one another.

The assembled lid and blending element is then located over the upperopening in the base 11 to seal in the product within the container. Inorder to ensure that the lid 12 is sealingly united with the base 11,plastics sheet may be located around the lid and upper end of the baseand the sheet (not shown) is shrunk by heat shrinking onto the assemblyto provide a hygienic seal. Alternatively, the upper end of thecontainer may be sealed by other means.

The filled container 10 is then ready for transportation but may befrozen to be transported in a refrigerated container and to give longerlife to the product during transportation and storage. Alternatively,the product in the container is maintained at ambient temperature and,due to the sealed environment of the container, the filled container hasa suitable shelf life and does not need to be defrosted. After filling,sealing and packing, the filled containers may be stored and transportedto a dispensing location.

At the dispensing location is situated apparatus as shown in FIGS. 1-4by which the product within the container is blended ready forconsumption. Referring to FIGS. 1-4 a filled container 10 is located inapparatus which includes a container holder 22, which is shapedaccording to the shape of the base 11 to receive the container. Afterlocation within the holder 22, the container 10 is clamped in positionby clamping means (not shown) which clamps the upper end of thecontainer and holds it in the holder 22. The holder 22 is, as shown,located in a position inclined to the vertical during location within ahousing 23 having an opening 24 through which the container 10 islocated, the opening 24 having a closure 25 moveable to admit thecontainer 10 and closable over the opening 24 when the container is inposition, and the upper end of the container being directed towards theopening. The clamping means not only holds the container in the holderbut also the lid on the container during inversion and blending

When in position and clamped, the holder 22 and the container 10 arerotated about a horizontal axis 26 by means of a drive arrangement 27which may include a linear drive providing a reciprocal movement of ashaft 28 which through linkages 29 and 30, rotates the holder 22 throughabout 145° to an inverted position of the container, as shown in FIG. 3.

Located in the base of the housing 23, is a drive motor 33 which rotatesabout an upright axis and has at its upper end a drive shaft 34 arrangedto be drivingly connected to the blending element 14 of each containerby engagement with the opening 20 in the blending element 14.

As the container and holder reach the inverted position, the drive shaft34 is in a retracted position in the base of a housing 23 and theblending element 14 is spaced from said base, as shown in FIG. 3. Thedrive motor 33 and its associated shaft 34 is then elevated verticallyso that the shaft 34 drivingly engages the blending element 14. This isachieved by a drive motor 37, which may be a linear drive, having adrive shaft 38 and a cranked link 40 reciprocally moveable so that uponoutward movement the motor 33 is raised into the chamber defined by thehousing 23 into driving engagement with the drive element 14. Uponoperation of the drive motor 37, the blending element 14 is rotated toblend the contents of the container 10. A reverse operation of the motor27, after disengagement of the drive 34, rotates the holder 23 back intoits initial position so that the container 10 with its blended contentsis removeable from the housing 23, ready for consumption. Consumptionmay be by removal of the lid 12 with its associated blending means 14 orby providing a portion of the lid 12 which is flangible and throughwhich a straw may be admitted into the container. Alternatively, the lidmay have an access arrangement by way of a flip open closure (not shown)by which a hinged portion of the lid is moved upwards to create anopening, which may be small (for straws) or large for drinking theproduct. As a further alternative, an opening may be sealed by anadhesive strip which is peeled off for opening.

The housing 23 permits the use of microwave radiation to heat thecontents of the container 10 when it is in position within the housing23. In this case, the housing 23 provides a microwave housing into whichmicrowave energy may be imparted to heat the contents of the container10 to the desired temperature for the blending operation. Microwaveoperation may be provided by any convenient means suited to the size andcontents of the container 10 to provide the required amount of microwaveenergy to bring the contents up to the desired temperature. Suitableheating may be for a given duration assuming the temperature of theproduct admitted to the chamber 23 is known and the desired finaltemperature is also known. However, the temperature of the containerupon admission may be detected so that this is taken into account in theduration of the heating process. If the contents of the container arenot frozen but already at the desired consumption temperature, it maynot be necessary to provide heating means within the housing 23, and thehousing may be omitted.

As a further alternative the inversion arrangement provided by the motor27 may be omitted and the user places the container 10 in an invertedposition onto the drive for the blending element, with or without ahousing 23 and with or without the heating arrangement described. If thecontainer 10 is to be directly placed onto the drive 33, 34, a housingwith microwave heating may still be provided so that heating takes placeafter the container is located in driving arrangement and after closingthe housing. The container, lid and blending element components areselected for use within a microwave environment. The microwave heatingcomponents may be in a module mounted on the housing.

Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown an arrangement by which anassembled container 10, lid 12 and blending element 14 may be located byan adapter for engagement with a drive arrangement which may take theform of a conventional blender base (not shown).

The adapter includes a jug unit 35 having a handle 36 and an internalspace 37 shaped to receive a container 10 of the kind previouslydescribed, as the close fit therein.

Pivotally attached at pivot 38 to the jug 35 is a coupling member 40which can pivot in a direction A about the pivot 38 between an openposition in which the container 10 can be admitted to the space 37, anda closed position (as shown in FIG. 10) in which it can be located by atoggle clamp arrangement 41. The coupling member 40 includes a rotatableelement 43 which is arranged to be drivingly coupled at one end to theblending element 14 in the container 10 and is drivingly connectable atthe other end through connecting elements 42 to a conventional blendingdrive output.

Thus, when the container 10 with product therein and assembled with thelid 12 and blending element 14 has been located in the jug 35, theadapter member 40 is secured over the container by the toggle clamp 41so that the assembly is secured together, whereupon the assembly isinverted to locate the coupling element 42 onto a blender base driveelement (not shown) whereby to drivingly connect the blender 14 to thedrive in the base for the blending operation.

This arrangement permits the assembly to be operated by a conventionalblender base whilst retaining a container 10 and blending element 14 ofsimple one trip construction in an assembly which permits the use ofsimple and cheap materials for the container 10 and blender 14. Thecontainer and blender assembly is firmly held and clamped in the jug 35by the adapter member 40 whilst permitting drive to be transmitted fromthe blender motor to the blending element 14 through the coupling 43.For different containers 10 of different sizes a different jug 35 may beprovided with an opening 37 sized to receive the particular size ofcontainer 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 11-14, there is shown another apparatus by whichthe containers 10 of product having the lid 12 with integral blendingelement 14 can be heated and blended. Alternatively, the heating stagecan be omitted in such apparatus and only a blending operationperformed.

The apparatus provides a chamber 50 which acts as a heating chamber inwhich product within the container 10 is heated by microwave energy. Thechamber 50 also provides the location for the container during ablending operation.

In order to admit containers into the casing 50, there is provided amoveable mounting in the form of a drawer arrangement 52 which isreciprocally moveable in the direction X manually, by a drivearrangement, or by a combination of manual and driven movement.

In the illustrated arrangement, the drawer 52 is manually moved inwardsto an operative position but, upon completion of the blending operation,is released for movement to a removal position under the action of gasstruts 54 located to each side of the drawer 52. During location towardsthe operative position the gas struts are compressed, expansion takingplace once the drawer is released for movement towards the removalposition by operation of a locking mechanism usually a magnetic catch.

When the drawer 52 is in the removal position, as shown in FIG. 11,assembled containers of product are locatable into a seating 56 shapedto engage the tapered side walls of the container 10, so that thecontainer is firmly located within the seating 56 but is releasabletherefrom. The seating 56 is formed as part of a pivotal mounting whichis arranged to automatically move from the position shown in FIGS. 11,12 and 13 in which the container is locatable in the seating 56, to aninverted position in which the lid 12 is lowermost and the driveconnection for the blending means 14 is engaged with a drive shaft 58which is directed upwardly into the casing 50.

Movement of the holder takes place as the drawer member 52 is moved inthe direction X by inter-engagement of a cam 59 and cam follower 60, thecam 59 being part of the fixed structure and the follower 60 moving withthe drawer 52. Thus as the drawer 52 is moved in the direction X thecontainer and associated seating 56 rotate about pivot 61 through 180°or more degrees to invert the container 10. A detector (not shown)detects it is in position and cause the drive shaft 58 to engage withthe opening 20 of the blending element 14 to be in driving connectiontherewith. The shaft 58 may move upwards to engage and, in so doing,lift the container into engagement with an upper abutment (not shown) toclamp the container.

Microwave generation means 65 is located around the casing 50 to directmicrowave energy at different heights and positions in the casing 50 viawave guides 66 towards the container 10 within the casing. This causesproduct within the container to be heated up under the action of themicrowave energy so that the product is at a suitable temperature forblending when the drive shaft is energised. Prior to blending, andduring heating, the drive shaft 58 may be operated in a slow speed modeof, say, 60 rpm whereby to slowly move product within the container andensure that the heating action is dispersed amongst the product. Afterheating, the drive shaft 58 is operated at high blending speed to causeblending of the product in the container which has reached an adequatetemperature for blending action.

The shaft 58 is driven by a motor 60 through gearing 62 and thecontainer is clamped by a clamp 64 during blending.

Referring now to FIGS. 15A, 15B and 15C, there is shown an alternativeinversion arrangement for the container 10. In this arrangement there isprovided a housing 23 and an opening 24 leading into the interior of thehousing. Containers 10 are located in a tapered seating member 22arranged to receive the tapered container 10 as a close fit therein. Theseating member 22 has extending outwardly from the side positionedspaced along the axis of the member 22 pins 70 and 71, the pin 70engaging in a cam track 72 formed in a guide box 74 rigidly mounted inthe housing 33. The pin 71 is located in a cam track 75 also formed inthe guide block 74. The pins 70 and 71 are arranged for movement alongthe respective cam tracks 72 and 75 during a pivoting action of theseating member 22, as will be described.

Inversion of the container 10 is achieved by a linear drive 80 fromwhich extends a reciprocal drive member 81, pivotally attached at itsouter end through pivot 82 to a lever arm 83. The lever arm is pivotedat one end to the frame 23 through pivot 84, at its other end the leverarm 83 is attached to a further lever arm 85 through a pivot 86. Thus,as the linear motor 80 is operated, the drive reciprocates the member 81and causes the lever arms 83 and 85 to execute up and down motions. Thelever arm 85 is attached at its free end to the pin 70.

As the linear drive 80 is operated the seating member 22 is moved fromthe position in FIG. 15A, which is a receiving position for receiving acontainer 10 through the opening 24, to an inverted position shown inFIG. 15B due to the arrangement of the cam tracks 72 and 75 along whichthe pins 70 and 71 travel during operation of the linear drive 80. Thus,as the linear drive contracts the arm 83 is drawn downwardly about thepivot 84, the arm 85 also moves downwards and the seating member 23pivots through approximately 135 degrees and moves from an inclinedupwardly directed position to a vertically downward direction.

In the inverted position, the container lies vertically along the axisof a drive motor 33 having a driving member 34, and further movement ofthe linear drive 80 causes the seating member 22 with its associatedcontainer 10 to move vertically downwards. This vertical movement causesthe drive member 34 to engage the drive of the blending element locatedin the lid 12 of the container 10, as seen in FIG. 15C.

The linear drive 80 is mounted on a support 90 and the lower side of thesupport is pivotally attached to a resilient stop member 91 through apivot 92. The shank 93 of the stop member 91 extends through a fixedapertured member 94 and there is located between the member 94 and anenlarged end 95 of the stop member 91 a spring 96 which is arranged toresiliently urge the stop member 91 in a downwards direction.

As the linear drive operates to cause the container to move downwardsinto drive engagement, any resistance encountered will cause theresilient spring 96 to be compressed and the enlarged end 94 of the stopmember 91 will move upwards by compression of the spring 96. Suchmovement is detected by a proximity switch 97 which signals suchmovement to the control system to interrupt any further movement of thelinear drive 80. This ensures that no undue pressure exceeded betweenthe drive 34 and the container. The spring 96 is selected to give therequired resilience and is preferably a belville spring washer which isarranged to move only when a predetermined compressive pressure isapplied thereto. By setting the pre-determined compressive pressure itcan be ensured that the force level which causes operation of the switch97 is known and is at a level which detects excessive pressure.

FIG. 15C shows the container 10 and its associated blending element inthe operative blending position at which the blender drive 33 isoperated to transmit drive from the drive connector 34 to the blenderwithin the container.

After blending, a reverse movement of the linear drive 80 causes thelevers 83 and 85 to have their direction of movement reversed, initiallydrawing the container and associated seating member 22 upwards and thenpivoting the seating member to return it through 135 degrees to theinitial position shown in FIG. 15A. In this position, the container 10,now with blended product contained therein is removeable from theseating member 22 for consumption in the manner described.

It will be seen that the outer rim of the lid 12 reaches engagement witha circular support 98 as the container is lowered downwards towards thedrive 34 whereby to secure the lid 12 on the container during blending.In FIGS. 15A, 15B and 15C, the housing 23 is shown without any microwaveheating system but this may be included if desired. The illustratedarrangement shows a simple system for inverting the container forblending which incorporates a motor for inverting the container and afurther motor for activating the blending operation.

Referring now to FIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C, there is shown an arrangementwhich may be utilised in the preceding embodiment of FIG. 15, to ensurethat the container body and the associated lid 12 are maintained in asecure sealed relationship during inversion of the container andblending of product within the container. The same reference numeralsare to be used in FIGS. 15 and 16 for similar components. In FIG. 16there is shown a positive means for locking the container within theseating member 22 during the inversion operation.

The seating member 22 carries at one side thereof a pivotal lockingmember or chip 100 which is mounted for pivoting about a pivot pin 101relative to the member 22. Such pivoting movement is controlled by aspring 102 which urges the locking member towards a locking position,shown in FIGS. 16B and 16C. In FIG. 16A, the locking member 100 ispivoted away from a locking position about the pivot 101 therebycompressing the spring 102. For this purpose, the opening 24 into thehousing 23 is formed with an inwardly directed, circular section shield103 and the outer end of 104 of the locking arm 100 engages the outsideof the shield 103 when the container is in position adjacent the opening24. In this position, the container 10 may be inserted into or removedfrom the seating member 22.

The locking member 100 is profiled along its inner side to provide ashoulder 105 arranged to engage against a corresponding shoulder 106formed on the support member. Thus as the support member 22 movestowards the inverted position, the free end 104 of the locking member100 moves away from the shield 103 and is urged by the spring 102 aboutthe pivot 101 into a position in which the shoulder 105 engages theshoulder 106 on the support member 22. Furthermore, the outer end 104 ofthe locking member 100 engages the upper side of the lid 12 of thecontainer 10 thereby ensuring that the lid 12 remains on the container10. This situation remains whilst the container is moved to a verticalposition, FIG. 16C and is returned towards the upright position of FIG.16A. Upon reaching the FIG. 16A position the member 100 is pivoted awayfrom the locking position by engagement with the shield 103.

The arrangement provides ready means for dispensing from the containerswhereby, after blending, the product may be consumed from the container,or the container emptied, and the container and the associated blendingmeans is disposed of The container base may be of conventional beaker ormug construction of paper, cardboard, plastics or the like.

The container may be used to ship the product after sealing the top witha heat sealed diaphragm, the product being in sterile condition. In thiscase, the lid and associated blending element may not be added to thecontainer until the container reaches a blending and consumptionlocation. At that location the seal is removed and an assembled lid andblending element are applied. Containers with seals and lids withblending elements can be stored at the consumption location. Thecontainers may be stored in a magazine in an upright condition so thatthe lower container is removeable and the next container is presentedfor use. The lids may be stored in a magazine for removal when requiredand the lids may be applied with information, such as “sell by” date, asthey are removed from the magazine.

Filled containers may have their seals removed in batches at thedispensing/blending location and the lids are then applied thereto andthe assembled units stored ready for use in a refrigerator or freezer.

During the location of the containers in the holder ready for a blendingoperation, the containers may be shaken or vibrated and this assists themicrowave heating process.

Instead of the powered arrangement described by which the container isinverted for a blending operation, the inversion action may be manuallyoperated and include a clamping action to clamp the container in aholder with a spring return and release mechanism.

In heating the product within the container control means may beprovided to ensure that the product is at the correct temperature forblending taking account of the product input temperature, the need toheat the product quickly, and different product within the container.

1. Blending apparatus comprising a container having an opening throughwhich product to be blended is introduced into the container, a lid toclose the opening, a blending element mounted on the lid and directeddownwards into the container when the lid is located thereon, a drivedriveably engageable with the blending element to rotate the element andobtain a blending action on product in the container, and a mount onwhich an assembly of the container, lid and blending element is arrangedto be located during blending, the container being movable between anupright receiving position and an operative position in which theassembly is inverted with the lid lowermost and the drive is connectableto the blending element, wherein: the mount includes a container holderinto which the container is inserted and the container holder isrotatable between the receiving position and the operative position, thecontainer holder is located within a housing with access into thehousing through an opening, the drive is located in the base of thehousing for connection to the blending element when in the invertedoperative position, and the drive is moveable vertically into drivingengagement with the blending element after the container reaches anoperative blending position.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 furthercomprising a clamp to hold the container in the holder during movementbetween the receiving and operative positions.
 3. Apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein the mount includes a tapered seating which holds thecontainer in place during inversion and operation.
 4. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein the drive is arranged to rotate theblending element at different speeds including a blending speed and alower mixing speed.
 5. Blending apparatus comprising a container havingan opening through which product to be blended is introduced into thecontainer, a lid to close the opening, a blending element mounted on thelid and directed downwards into the container when the lid is locatedthereon, a drive driveably engageable with the blending element torotate the element and obtain a blending action on product in thecontainer, and a mount on which an assembly or the container, lid andblending element is arranged to be located during blending, thecontainer being movable between an upright receiving position and anoperative position in which the assembly is inverted with the lidlowermost and the drive is connectable to the blending element, wherein:the mount includes a container holder into which the container isinserted and the holder is rotatable between the receiving position andthe operative position, the container holder is located within a housingwith access into the housing through an opening, and the housingprovides a microwave housing whereby product within the container may beheated by microwave radiation prior to, during and/or after a blendingoperation.
 6. Blending apparatus comprising a container having anopening through which product to be blended is introduced into thecontainer, a lid to close the opening, a blending element mounted on thelid and directed downwards into the container when the lid is locatedthereon, a drive driveably engageable with the blending element torotate the element and obtain a blending action on product in thecontainer, and a mount on which an assembly of container, the lid andblending element is arranged to be located during blending, thecontainer being movable between an upright receiving position and anoperative position in which the assembly is inverted with the lidlowermost and the drive is connectable to the blending element, wherein:the mount is carried on a reciprocal support and during reciprocalmovement of the support the mount is rotated between the receiving andoperating positions, and the mount is movable relative to a fixedmember, and a cam and a cam track are arranged to cause the rotationalmovement of the mount during said reciprocal movement.
 7. Blendingapparatus comprising a container having an opening through which productto be blended is introduced into the container, a lid to close theopening, a blending element mounted on the lid and directed downwardsinto the container when the lid is located thereon, a drive driveablyengageable with the blending element to rotate the element and obtain ablending action on product in the container, a mount on which anassembly of the container, lid and blending element is arranged to belocated during blending, the container being moveable between an uprightreceiving position and an operative position in which the assembly isinverted with the lid lowermost and the drive is connectable to theblending element, wherein: the mount includes a container holder intowhich the container is inserted and the holder is rotatable between thereceiving position and the operative position, the holder is locatedwithin a housing with access into the housing through an opening, thedrive is located in the base of the housing for connection to theblending element when in the inverted operative position, and thehousing includes a drive arrangement to rotate the holder to bring thecontainer into said operative position.